


Opening His Eyes to the Light

by originalhybridlover



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, Angst, Canon Divergence, F/M, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Inaccuracies, Romance, Tommy Merlyn is Alive, character injury, olicity - Freeform, post season one finale, post undertaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 10:35:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14735366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/originalhybridlover/pseuds/originalhybridlover
Summary: When Oliver learns Felicity was injured in the aftermath of the Undertaking it forced him to be honest with how he felt about her and just what he was going to do about it. [Post Season One Finale]





	Opening His Eyes to the Light

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is a canon AU. It's just something I couldn't get out of my head and decided to write down. I hope you like it. 
> 
> BTW this has medical inaccuracies. 
> 
> I apologize for any mistakes or grammar errors.

Oliver paced the waiting room unable to keep still. When he managed to pull Tommy out before CNRI collapsed with nothing more than a few crack ribs and a broken leg he actually believed he wasn’t going to lose anyone he cared about.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
_He returned to the Foundry only to see Diggle carrying out an unconscious Felicity, blood on his hands, blood soaking Felicity’s clothes._ _  
_ _  
_ _“What happened?” he demanded, moving forward in long quick strides. He was at her side in seconds, pressing a hand to her neck, checking her pulse. It was weak but it was there._ _  
_ _  
_ _“A part of the structure had collapsed and struck her. She had a metal rod embedded in her stomach. She’s lost a lot of blood. She was barely conscious when I found her” Digg’s steps to his car didn’t falter, reaching it in a few quick strides._ _  
_ _  
_ _Oliver kept pace with him ignoring the pain from his own injuries he sustained in his fight with Malcolm. “I’m coming with.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Diggle nodded as Oliver yanked the back door to his car open. “There’s a duffle in the back with a change of your clothes.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Oliver climbed into the back, immediately turning and reaching for Felicity. He laid her on the seat and quickly reached for his duffle bag, changing his clothes as quickly as he could while keeping the pressure on her wound. It was difficult to do but he managed somehow._ _  
_ _  
_ _Diggle quickly got behind the wheel and sped off avoiding the wreckage with sharp turns._ _  
_ _  
_ _With his free hand, Oliver pushed Felicity’s hair from her face, his hand trailed down her neck, relief washing over him when he still felt her pulse if not a little weak but still there. She was still breathing and that was the most important thing to him._ _  
_ _  
_ _He leaned down pressing his forehead against hers, her skin felt feverish against his own. “You’re going to be fine, Felicity.” His breath left him on a shaky exhale. “You have to be. I need you to be okay. I’ll never forgive myself if you’re not.” he whispered to her so quietly that the sounds of sirens off in the distance and the roar of the car engine, Diggle pressing down harder on the gas, drowned out his words from anyone but him._ _  
_  
Oliver remembered rushing Felicity through the chaos of Starling General Memorial Hospital’s emergency room, demanding for her to be seen. And it was so close to his hood voice that the staff jumped and rushed to Felicity’s aid bypassing others in need, seeing to her immediately and shooting him wary glances.  
  
A nurse had wanted to get him seen as well motioning to the spot bleeding on his shoulder, too close to his heart however he refused treatment, dismissing it as a minor flesh wound and told them that they needed to do their damn job and focus on Felicity.  
  
He was more than glad that the nurse had not pressed the issue. John who had mostly been silent pulled him aside, telling him he needed to bring it down a notch. He was too close to his hood persona and he needed to act more like Oliver Queen, a concerned friend and not like Starling City’s Vigilante, The Hood, who would destroy anyone who got in his way.  
  
That was nearly two hours ago, the waiting, the not knowing was driving him crazy. He needed to know that Felicity was going to be okay. He needed that like he needed air to breathe.  
  
He knew he should check on Thea and Tommy. Find out what was going on with his mom but he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He couldn’t leave Felicity here not knowing if she was going to make it.  
  
“Oliver, man, you need to relax, pacing and driving yourself crazy is not going to help her.”  
  
Oliver turned to Digg, his eyes narrowing on the larger man, sitting in one of the hospitals waiting room chairs. “How can you be so calm?”  
  
“Felicity, she’s strong. She’s a fighter. She’ll pull through. There’s no way she’d leave us on our own.”  
  
Oliver wished he had Diggle’s certainty but he was so used to the good things in his life being ripped away from him. All he could think about was all the things he refused to acknowledge, all the things that went unsaid between them. Feelings he couldn’t admit to anyone. Thoughts he had refused to let himself think in the waking hours. Quiet dreams that he kept to himself.  
  
The possibility of never having the chance, to be honest with Felicity had everything he pushed down, refused to admit, rushing to the surface unable to be denied any longer. He was no longer able to keep lying to himself.  
  
“Ollie!” He looked up and barely had time to brace himself before Laurel was barreling into his chest. “Have you heard about Tommy?”  
  
Oliver subtly extracted himself from her arms. After everything that had happened, he admitted to himself that the feel of her body against his own felt wrong. “No.” Oliver shook his head. “Is he going to be okay? Do you know?”  
  
“The doctors say he’s going to make a full recovery if not a long one. He got lucky.” her brow furrowed in a look of confusion. “Why are you here if not for Tommy? Did Thea get hurt?”  
  
“No.” As far as he knew Thea was fine. He would make sure as soon as he knew Felicity would be okay. “Felicity was hurt.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“My friend, Felicity Smoak. You met her once at Verdant, beautiful, blonde hair, glasses, she has this adorable habit of babbling.”  
  
“Oh, her,” said Laurel an odd tone to her voice. “The tech help for your club.”  
  
Diggle who was keeping quiet mostly through their entire exchange gave a long-suffering sigh. “She’s not just the tech help. She has a name. And she’s gonna be fine. Thanks for your concern.”  
  
“I barely know her. I’m sorry if it came off like I don’t care but what does it really matter? She’s just Oliver’s employee.”  
  
Oliver bristled at her words. “Felicity Smoak does not work for me. She works _with_ me. There’s a difference and it matters. _She matters_ to me and I won’t let you be disrespectful toward her.”  
  
Laurel’s eyes widened, her face reddening. “Ollie, I didn’t mean anything by it, I-”  
  
Oliver’s head snapped to the left when he spotted the doctor who took Felicity into surgery. He brushed past Laurel, ignoring her calls, meeting the doctor halfway. He didn’t have to look back to know Digg was right behind him. “Felicity is she…?”  
  
“She is resting now. Ms. Smoak was very fortunate. The piece of metal that impaled her abdomen narrowly missed anything vital. However, she lost a lot of blood and we had to give her a blood transfusion. However, she does have a concussion. We’d like to keep her overnight for a day or so but she should be able to go home in a few days.”  
  
“But she’s going to be fine?” Diggle wanted to double check.  
  
“She will make a full recovery. Yes.” Dr. Sawyer smiled.  
  
“Can we see her?” Oliver asked, stepping forward. If he could just see her he would know everything was going to be fine because she was.  
  
“Yes, you can. If you will just follow me.” Dr. Sawyer began walking away and Oliver and John fell into step behind him instantly.  
  
“Ollie!” he ignored Laurel’s voice calling after him and kept walking.  
  
Dr. Sawyer took them up four floors, leading them down a series of corridors until they reached a room numbered 421. He pushed the door open and Oliver’s breath caught in his throat, freezing in the doorway, his eyes locked on her sleeping form.  
  
“Oliver.” Digg propelled him forward with a hand on the back of his shoulder blade.  
  
It seemed that was all the push he needed. His feet carried him to her side, his hand cupped her cheek, taking relief in the feel of her warm skin against his hand. His breath left him in a rush. He didn’t care that there were other people in the room with him. He brushed her blonde hair from her forehead, the back of his knuckles brushing her skin, kissing her forehead, lingering for just a moment before standing up straighter and just took her in.  
  
The reassuring way her chest rose and fell with her breathing, the sound of the monitors beeping rhythmically. The way the color was slowly returning to her pale skin.  
  
“A member of my nursing staff will be by later to check on her.” Dr. Sawyer informed them.  
  
Oliver nodded vaguely as he pulled a chair up next to her bed, sinking into it and clutching her hand.  
  
He knew Dr. Sawyer left but he couldn’t remove his eyes from her to confirm it.  
  
Digg stepped forward, placing his hand on Felicity’s arm for a moment before taking the last available chair in the room.  
  
Oliver could feel the weight of John’s eyes, scrutinizing him.  
  
“How long?” John asked.  
  
“How long what?”  
  
“How long have you had feelings for Felicity? I thought you were still chasing after whatever you had with Laurel.”  
  
A beat passed before Oliver could bring himself to answer. “I don’t know when I started to feel something for Felicity. Maybe it was from the very beginning, the moment I saw her, the moment I walked into her cubicle, the moment I met her,  I don’t know.”  
  
“And now?” asked Digg.  
  
Oliver finally turned his gaze from Felicity to his friend’s searching gaze. “And now I can’t imagine doing any of this without her.”  
  
“What about Laurel?” John's eyes narrowed.  
  
“Laurel is apart of my past. She’s a friend but I know that’s all we were meant to be. Anything more than that is out of the question. It just doesn’t work.”  
  
John nodded. Glad that Oliver had finally removed his Laurel blinders.  
  
Oliver’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, Thea’s name flashing across his screen. “It’s Thea. I have to take this.”  
  
“Go. I’ve got our girl.”  
  
Oliver hesitated before nodding pushing from his seat and reluctantly leaving the room.  
  
“Hey, Speedy,” he answered.  
  
“Oh, thank God,” Thea breathed in relief. “I’m at the hospital and-”  
  
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly.  
  
“No, I’m fine but Tommy got hurt.”  
  
“I know, but he’s going to be fine.” Oliver was quick to reassure her.  
  
“They said he was lucky but he has a lot of healing to do. They're talking physical rehab.”  
  
“Tommy can handle it. He’s strong.” Oliver said, his eyes sliding shut.  
  
“Ollie, where are you?” he could hear the tears in her voice and it made his chest tighten. “You should be here with me. You should be here for Tommy.”  
  
Oliver opened his eyes and looked down, feeling a wave of guilt. He knew he should be there with them. He knew they were here in the hospital somewhere but he couldn’t leave Felicity’s side. He needed to be there when she woke up. “I want to be there but I can’t.”  
  
The silence that followed was like a crimination of everything he was doing wrong until finally, his sister broke it. “What you’re doing? Is it important?”  
  
“Yes. _Very_ important.” Being by Felicity’s side was what he needed to be doing.  
  
“Okay,” Thea said and was surprised by how understanding she sounded. “Do what you have to do. We’ll still be here.”    
  
Oliver was surprised once again by her understanding and was grateful for it. “Thanks, Speedy.”  
  
“Call me if you need anything.”  
  
“I will,” They said their goodbyes shortly after. Oliver slid his phone back into his pocket and stepped back into Felicity’s hospital room, returning to his seat at her bedside.  
  
“Tommy’s going to be okay. Thea’s with him now.” he retook Felicity’s hand in his own.  
  
“That’s good.” Diggle clapped him on the shoulder. “Are you gonna be here? I want to check on Carly and AJ.”  
  
“I’m not going anywhere.” There were zero chances of that happening. “Go check on your family.”  
  
Digg nodded, reaching out a hand, giving Felicity’s arm a squeeze before leaving.  
  
Oliver leaned his elbows on her bed, holding her hand in his and just watched her sleep, taking comfort in the steady rise and fall of her chest. She was alive. That was all that mattered. Everything else, the fall out of the Undertaking, all of it could wait.

* * *

The sound of a repetitive beeping and a burning ache in her stomach had Felicity's eyes opening, her face scrunching up. It was white everywhere, the ceiling, the walls. There was a lemon smell mixed with some chemicals. She frowned, she was in a hospital. That much was obvious. She turned her head to the sound of the incessant beeping, seeing that she was hooked up to some monitors.  
  
Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember what happened to land her in the hospital.  
  
She remembered the building structure starting to come down, she remembered something hitting her in the head, she remembered the sharp agonizing pain in her stomach. The more she tried to remember the faster the details came back to her.  
  
She remembered the blood. There had been so much of it. And John. John trying to help her, to slow down the bleeding, telling her she was going to be okay. She tried to move her hand but couldn’t.  
  
It was only then that she realized a warm hand with calloused fingers held her own.  
  
“John?” she turned her head expecting to find John but no, it was Oliver.  
  
Her eyes widened at the sight of him fast asleep his head pillowed on his forearms, resting on her bed, his hands clasping her own even in his sleep.  
  
If he was here, things couldn’t be bad. Everyone must’ve gotten out or else he wouldn’t be there. He would be with his family. Or Laurel. Not with her.  
  
Or maybe it was her. Maybe she was hurt more than she thought. The beeping of the machine increased.  
  
The second it did Oliver jolted up as if he was intuned with any change in the machine.  
  
Felicity watched as his eyes shot to the monitor alert but when they landed on her they widened and a shaky breath left his lips as they parted. “ _Felicity_.”  
  
“Um, what are you doing here?” she asked, eyes taking him in, even though he had been resting he still looked exhausted.  
  
“You were hurt.” The way he said it was like her being hurt was the worst outcome imaginable.  
  
“Is it bad?” she worried her bottom lip.  
  
“No, you’re going to be fine. You just have some healing to do.” She was sure she imagined the way his eyes flickered down to her lips then back to her eyes. His own eyes a shade darker than before. She must have gotten hit in the head harder than she thought.  
  
“You needed a blood transfusion and you have a concussion.” That explained why she was imagining things. Like the way, Oliver was looking at her so intensely. It was like he thought if he looked away she’d be gone, out of his reach.  
  
Clearly, her mind was playing tricks on her. Oliver would never in a million years look at her like that. That look, that level of intensity coming from him was reserved for Laurel Lance.  
  
“The hospital wants to keep you overnight for a few days for observation.” Oliver continued, his thumb had started moving back and forth across the top of her hand. “But you’re going to make a full recovery.”  
  
Felicity nodded, a little unfocused. The brush of his thumb against her skin was more distracting than she was accustomed to. “You don’t have to stay. You should be with Thea.”  
  
“Thea’s fine.” She tried to pull her hand free but he only held it more tightly. “I’m exactly where I need to be.” he brought her hand up to his mouth, lips brushing her knuckles. “ _With you_.”  
  
Felicity’s eyes widened. “ _Oh_.” she stared at him in wonder, half believing she was asleep and fantasizing about him. It’s not like it would be the first time. He was looking at her and saying all the things she could only dream of him saying to her so this had to be a dream. She shifted trying to shuffle up the bed to sit up but pain tore at her abdomen.  
  
She gasped, closing her eyes tightly against the pain and breathed out slowly.  
  
_Okay! Not a dream_. That fracking hurt.  
  
“Felicity?” Oliver was up out of his seat leaning over her immediately, concern coming off him in waves.  
  
“I’m alright.” She got out through the pain. “It just hurts when I move too much.”  
  
Oliver nodded, reaching for the call button and pressing it before focusing solely on her. “Just breathe with me. You can get through it.” he cupped her jaw and Felicity leaned into his hand, his touch as his thumb brushed the apple of her cheek.  
  
The door to her room was pushed opened but she barely noticed unable to tear her eyes from Oliver. It was only with the sound of a throat clearing that she was finally able to slide her eyes away from Oliver to see Digg. “John.” she smiled.  
  
Digg stepped forward with a smile, stepping up to the other side of her bed. “You scared the crap out of us.” he reached for her hand, giving it a light squeeze.  
  
“Yeah, I’m getting that.” Felicity glanced at Oliver out of the corner of her eye. He was still watching her with the same intensity. Like she would disappear from his sights if he wasn’t looking directly at her.  
  
“Well, we would be lost without our girl,” Digg responded. “You know we can’t do any of this without you.”  
  
Felicity smiled at his words. “It’s a really good thing you don’t have to then, huh?”  
  
“Definitely,” Oliver said before Digg could respond, his hand tightening around hers.  
  
Felicity turned her smile on him, squeezing his hand back. A warm feeling filling her chest as she stared into his blue eyes unguarded for once.  
  
It was like he was letting his walls down so she could see him. The real him. The man beneath the Hood. Behind the mission. The man who felt everything more deeply, more intensely than anyone could imagine.  
  
From the moment she met him she knew he was more than what most people saw, she had seen it even when he didn’t want anyone to but she could now that he did. He wanted her to see him and she did. But more than that she liked the person she could see.

* * *

Two days in the hospital and Felicity was anxious to leave. If the doctors needed her to rest up she could do that from the comfort of her own home, relaxing on her couch, catching up on all her favorite TV shows. She didn’t need to be here.    
  
The door to her room was pushed open by Dr. Sawyer. “Please tell me, you’ll be sending me home today,” Felicity said in greeting.  
  
Dr. Sawyer chuckled, amusement in his eyes. “Ready to leave us so soon, Ms. Smoak?”  
  
“Since _yesterday,”_ Felicity said. “Not that you haven’t been taking great care of me. Hospitals just are not anywhere I want to be.” The door to her room was pushed open again but she kept on talking. “And I’m ready to get out of here.”  
  
“Not without me, you aren’t,” Oliver stated coming to stand at the end of the bed as Dr. Sawyer checked her vitals, writing something down on his clipboard.  
  
Felicity frowned at Oliver. “I thought you were going to visit Tommy with Thea?”  
  
“I did.” he clasped her hand in his.  
  
When she first woke up it surprised her that Oliver was at her bedside but over the past two days she gotten used to him being there and reaching out to her. In any way, he could. In any way, she would allow.  
  
“You were gone barely an hour.” she pointed out.  
  
“And it was enough time. They’re fine. Thea understands. Oh, and Tommy says to get better real soon.”  
  
Felicity snorted. She could say the same thing about Tommy but she appreciated the sentiment. Felicity turned reaching for her phone, moving slowly not wanting to strain her wound.  
  
“Here.” Oliver was already holding her phone out to her.  
  
“Thank you.” she smiled at him and sent a text out to Tommy.  
  
**Get better soon. I’m glad you’re going to be okay. It would have killed Oliver to lose his best friend.**  
  
“How is she today? Does everything look good? Is she healing okay?” She could hear the concern in Oliver's voice as he asked Dr. Sawyer question after question however she was distracted by an incoming text message from Tommy.  
  
**Don’t underestimate your own worth Smoak. Oliver would be lost without you.**  
  
“Felicity?”  
  
She looked up to see both Dr. Sawyer and Oliver looking at her in varying looks of amusement. “Hmm?” she looked between them. “What?”  
  
Oliver looked at her. “Dr. Sawyer said you’ll be able to go home later today.”  
  
Felicity smiled and her whole face lit up. “Best news I heard all day.”  
  
“I do have some conditions.” Dr. Sawyer cautioned. “You have to take it easy. No strenuous activity. And I want someone to stay with you during the first week of your recovery.”  
  
“I live alone,” Felicity informed him.  
  
“Is there anyone who can stay with you?” Dr. Sawyer inquired.  
  
“No, not rea-”  
  
“It won’t be a problem.” Oliver interrupted. “I’ll stay with her.”  
  
“I’m sorry, you’ll _what_?” Felicity looked at him wide-eyed  
  
“How about I give you two a moment?” Dr. Sawyer suggested, moving toward the door.  
  
“Oliver you can’t stay with me.” Felicity protested as soon as Dr. Sawyer was gone. “You have never even been to my place.”  
  
Oliver’s brow furrowed. “What does that matter?”  
  
Felicity opened her mouth but then shut it.  
  
“If the thought of me being at your place makes you uncomfortable you can stay at my place instead.” Oliver offered, moving to sit beside her on the edge of the bed.  
  
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” She shook her head, trying not to show how affected she was by his sudden proximity.  
  
“Either you stay at the manor with me or I stay at your place so I can take care of you.”  
  
Felicity scowled. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself.”  
  
“I know that.” Oliver licked his lips and her eyes followed the movement before snapping back up. “But I would feel better if I was there in case you needed anything.  
  
Felicity tilted her head at him. "Why does it have to be you? Why do you want to be the one to help me?"  
  
Oliver lifted his hand to cup her cheek, his hand warm against her skin. "Because I care about you and I want you to be okay."  
  
"Oh." Felicity breathed in surprise. It had always seemed like Oliver only had eyes for Laurel Lance. She had thought her obvious crush on him was one-sided but maybe it wasn't as one-sided as she first thought.  
  
"Oliver." She bit down on her bottom lip.  
  
Oliver's gaze dropped down to her lips and her breath hitched as he slowly leaned forward, giving her time to pull away. But she didn't. She didn't want to. She was too caught up in the moment to care how this would change things.    
  
“Alright, have you two come to an agreement?” Dr. Sawyer asked stepping back into the room.  
  
Oliver pulled back the moment broken, his hand falling back to his side.  
  
Felicity’s eyes fell disappointment washing over her but then she felt her hand encased in Oliver’s warm one, washing the brief feeling of disappointment away, replacing it with one of reassurance and warmth.  
  
“Will you be staying with Ms. Smoak, Mr. Queen?” Dr. Sawyer asked, his eyes flitting between them and down to their clasped hands.  
  
“Yes, he will.” Felicity locked eyes with Oliver and his lips pulled up at the corners in a smile that was just for her.  
  
“Good. Glad to hear it.” Dr. Sawyer proceeded to give them instructions on how to change her bandages and reminded her repeatedly to take it easy and to be careful not to pull her stitches and reopen her wound.

* * *

Diggle pulled the car up outside of Felicity’s apartment. Oliver was seated in the backseat next to her.  
  
Diggle got out and moved to open her door before she could. “Are you okay with this?” Digg asked as Oliver got out rounding the car.  
  
“Yeah,” she nodded accepting his offered hand. “I’m good.”  
  
“I just wanted to make sure,” he replied as he assisted her out of the car.  
  
“I know and I appreciate it. You're a good friend, John Diggle.”  
  
“You make it easy,” he replied with an affectionate smile.  
  
“Remember to take it easy.” Suddenly Oliver was there, wrapping an arm around her and encouraging her to lean on him, offering to help her.  
  
“Do you got her?” Digg asked.  
  
“Yeah, I’ve got her.” Oliver nodded as he started to lead Felicity to the steps that led up to her apartment.  
  
“We got it from here, Digg,” Felicity assured when he looked at her. “I’m sure Lyla and AJ are expecting you.”  
  
“Call me if you need anything,” he told her before getting back in his vehicle.  
  
Felicity waved as he drove away before turning back around to Oliver, letting him help her up the steps to her apartment complex.  
  
She grimaced as she reached the top of the stairs feeling a pull in her abdomen.  
  
Oliver frowned concerned, seeing her face pinch together. “Are you alright? Maybe I should..” His arm moved to wrap low around her waist.  
  
Felicity could see what he wanted to do without him even having to say it. She held a finger up at him. “Don’t even try to pick me up to carry me, Oliver Queen. I can walk just fine.”  
  
Oliver sighed, tightening his arm around her waist. “At least let me take more of your weight. Let me help you.” He encouraged her to lean on him more.  
  
“Okay.” Felicity nodded, leaning more of her weight on him as they walked up the steps of her building.

* * *

They made it to her apartment and Felicity unlocked her door pushing it open and stepping inside.  
  
Oliver immediately started guiding her over to the couch, urging her to sit down and relax back against the cushions.  
  
She watched as Oliver bustled around her apartment, asking her where everything was. In a matter of minutes, he had her tucked into the couch, a blanket thrown on her lap, a glass of water on the table, the TV remote in her reach.  
  
“Can I get you something to eat? I’m sure I could whip something up.” Oliver shifted on his feet.  
  
“You cook?” asked Felicity in delighted surprise.  
  
“Raisa taught me a thing or two,” he admitted a bashful smile tugging at the corner of his lips.  
  
“Huh? Guess that’s another thing you can do better than me.” Felicity mused thoughtfully.  
  
“You can’t cook?” Oliver found it hard to believe that there was something Felicity couldn’t do.  
  
“That’s an understatement,” Felicity said with a wry smile.  
  
“I’m sure you can’t be that bad at it.” she was always so good at everything.  
  
“I burn water.” Felicity dead-panned with a dry look. 

“That’s not possible.” Oliver shook his head.

“It is with me.” Felicity insisted.  
  
A chuckled passed Oliver's lips surprising them both.  
  
“Felicity Smoak, MIT graduate, bested by the act of cooking.” he teased.  
  
“Hey, watch it, I could ruin you,” she warned, her eyes lit with laughter, enjoying this new side to Oliver she was seeing.  
  
“Oh, _I know_ .” Oliver murmured but he was sure he would enjoy every second of it. He knew she hadn’t meant it like that but after admitting to himself that Felicity had always been something more. It was damn near impossible to keep his mind from going there.  
  
Felicity flushed, the words came out entirely suggestive. Usually, she was the one who made the most innocent of words sound dirty.  
  
Oliver cleared his throat doing his best to ignore how far that attractive flush traveled down her neck. “Are you hungry?”  
  
“No, I’m good. I figured I just catch up on my DVR.” Felicity allowed the moment to pass.  
  
Oliver nodded casting his eyes around her apartment, noticing all the small things, the splashes of color. It was more welcoming than his own home.  
  
Felicity went through her DVR list, settling on one of her favorite shows. “Have you ever watched an episode of Game of Thrones?”  
  
Oliver’s expression clouded over with confusion. “No.”  
  
Felicity’s lips pulled down into a frown. “Not even one?”  
  
“No,” Oliver shook his head. “Not even one.”  
  
Felicity's frown deepened, her brow pinched. “That is a crime within itself but don’t worry, we’ll rectify this immediately.” she waved her hand at the other end of the couch. “Sit. I am going to educate you on all things Game of Thrones.”  
  
Oliver’s lips turned up into a smile, his eyes shining with amusement. He took the seat next to her, close enough that his arm brushed against hers. “I do have one thing to ask you first.”  
  
Felicity turned her eyes to him. “What is it?”  
  
“When your better would you like to go out with me?”  
  
Felicity froze, eyes wide, her heart pounding in her chest.  
  
Oliver had expected more of a reaction from her. Blushing, spluttering, adorable rambling, something, not her staring at him unblinking. “Felicity?” he asked in concern.  
  
She jolted at the way he said her name, sounding so unsure. “When Dr. Sawyer interrupted us I thought we were having a moment but I also thought maybe I was imagining things, seeing them differently than you were."  
  
“ _Felicity._ ” his hand cupped her jaw and she instinctively leaned into his touch with a quiet hum. “You weren’t imagining things.”  
  
“What about Laurel?” The last time Felicity checked he was madly in love with the woman.  
  
His other hand came up to her neck, his thumb brushing her pulse point. “After everything that has happened, I see things more clearly than I ever have before. I’m opening my eyes to the light. I don’t want Laurel. I want to be with you.”  
  
Warmth spread through Felicity’s chest, seeing the way he looked at her with so much emotion.  
  
“ _Oliver._ ” she murmured softly, reaching out and fisting his shirt in her hand and her other hand coming to rest over his chest, feeling the beat of his heart through his shirt beneath the palm of her hand.  
  
Oliver leaned forward slowly giving her a chance to pull away but she couldn’t, didn’t want to. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted it to be real.  
  
Oliver closed the last remaining distance between them, brushing his lips against hers tentatively at first but at the feel of her pressing back with her own, he moved his lips over hers more eagerly.  
  
Felicity sighed, the feel of his mouth on hers more real than any fantasy she had of him and there were a lot of them.  
  
Oliver's mouth moved over hers with a single-minded focus, coasting her to open to him and she gave in, feeling consumed by his intensity in the best way possible.  
  
Oliver kissed her until they were both breathless, he eased back leaning his forehead against hers. “Felicity Smoak, would you like to go to dinner with me?”  
  
Happiness bubbled up in her chest, her stomach doing somersaults. She smiled wide, her eyes shining brightly. “Yes.” she released her grip on his shirt, patting his chest. “But first we’re watching Game of Thrones.”  
  
Oliver chuckled releasing her, he settled back against the cushions, gently pulling her into his side. “Anything you want.”  
  
Felicity smiled at the feel of his lips pressing a kiss into her hair, burrowing deeper into his side mindful of her injury.  
  
Oliver wrapped his arm around her, holding her close, feeling at peace more than he had in a long time.  
  
It was everything. This moment, this feeling, this new beginning with Felicity. It was everything and so much more.  
  
She was everything.     


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Reviews are encouraged.
> 
> Tumblr: olicity-klaroline-addiction  
> Tumblr: originalhybridloverfics  
> Twitter: originalhybri13


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